Caucasus, Ciscaucasia and Transcaucasia

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09.04.2011 21:23, sergey nyu

So on our street finally came the holiday.
Rather, the first holiday last Saturday did not quite work out.
They set traps in the vicinity of Stavropol on the town of Strizhement together with M. Babansky "Stavropolets". This mountain is famous for the fact that at the beginning of the last century, the first pair of proceruses was caught on it for the first time in the Stavropol Territory. One copy is still in the collection of the Local History Museum in Stavropol, and the second was exchanged for the collection of butterflies "Valley of Pitchers" and this collection has long been the decoration of the exhibition of insects in the museum.
But the weather on Stryzhement left much to be desired - overcast, 4 0 heat and a strong cold wind spoiled the mood.
The following week also did not bode well, rains and fogs at low temperatures, but the Internet promised cloudy weather on Saturday without rain in Stavropol and Pyatigorsk, where I was invited to set traps all on the same protserus by Valentin Tikhonov, organizer and owner of the "Insect Museum" in Pyatigorsk and a great connoisseur of daytime mace of the Caucasus. but more on that later.
And in the morning at 8: 30 I left Stavropol. The weather immediately pleased with the bright sun, and although it was 4 degrees Celsius, the day promised to be warm.
When descending from the Stavropol hill, a beautiful view of the peaks of the Greater Caucasus Range and Elbrus, still under the snow and glistening in the sun, opened up. To see this panorama almost from Stavropol is a great success, since you need high air transparency, but two weeks of rain coped with this task.
As we approached Pyatigorsk, the air temperature rose and in Pyatigorsk it was already +14. Fortunately, I made a mistake about cloud cover on the Internet, I didn't see any clouds in Pyatigorsk that day.

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09.04.2011 21:35, sergey nyu

Sorry for the long off-top, but let me continue:
We went to the place, set up traps and then I got to the paradise of an entomologist and a person who is passionate about his business - the "Insect Museum". In a relatively small room, due to the construction of the gallery, on two levels it was already possible to get acquainted with the insect world of all continents. But in addition to the exhibition of insects, on the first floor there is an exhibition of live bird - eating spiders, Madagascar cockroaches, crickets, tropical amphibians and reptiles, which you could not only look at, but also, if desired, not dangerous, pick up, which was done by museum visitors, mostly children.
Unfortunately, the tropical butterflies that are supposed to flutter alive behind the glass of the polyudarium are not due to hatch until next week, and I only looked at the cocoons and pupae from which they will hatch.
In addition to the museum, which has been in existence for 16 years and is constantly developing, Valentin recently created a website http://www.бабочки-кавказа.Russian Federation/, which includes so far diurnal butterflies of Dagestan, in which Valentin spent several seasons on expeditions, and in the future, as I understand it, this site will include material on Azerbaijan, the KCR, and other states of the Caucasus. But even the material that is on the site is impressive.
In general, I would have stayed in this museum for hours, but time was running out and at four o'clock I left back. And although rain accompanied me from Nevinnomyssk to Stavropol, it could not spoil the positive charge that I received while in the museum.

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16.04.2011 16:21, sergey nyu

I have just returned from a trip near Kislovodsk.
Before reaching the city, there is the village of Podkumok on the river of the same name.
I crossed the bridge to the other side and set traps on gorushka.
But in order. In the morning I left Stavropol. It started raining outside Kursavka and rained all along the road. I had thought that the trip would not be possible, but at the entrance to Podkumka, the rain began to subside and while I was crossing the bridge, it stopped completely.
The entrance to the hill was blocked by a barrier and the huntsman who came out explained that this was the territory of an assigned hunting area and hunting was prohibited along with the passage, but after talking and probing why I was going, he still missed it. Along the way, he said that he had heard about Adamsy, and about the proceruses, too. So I think that when checking in three or four weeks, someone will fall into the traps.
Now a small photo report.
Shale outlet on the bank of Podkumka

Gorushka slope, where there are traps

And here is the Podkumok itself

On the shores of "traces of civilization"

But there is also such a beoeg

View of Gorushka from the road

And along the road on the north side the snow hasn't melted yet

This post was edited by sergey nyu - 04/16/2011 16: 42

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25.04.2011 16:05, kvoncstu

To sergey nyu:
According to my observations, Carabus hungaricus in the vicinity of Stavropol appears a little later, not earlier than mid-May, and is most active in June and July; some individuals fall into traps in August, if it is not too dry. C. perrini Dej. (= campestris) should now be in the mass, common from late March to June. The best training camps are located on a hill 1.5-2 km south-east of Lake Sengileyevsky (get to the "Wolf Gate" and move along the left side of the ridge), the most beautiful places! Novomaryevsky glades are a favorite place for botanists, but there are severely disturbed biocenoses.
And in Perm, the field season is still open on April 17, but a sharp cold snap and snow have suspended work.

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08.05.2011 19:50, sergey nyu

Today, finally, "soaked" the gorges of the KCR.
Another report, so far, however, not about fishing, but about intentions to catch in the near future.
All week long, I was hoping to discover the weather on the Internet, but nothing good shone for the KCR.
And as it turned out, you don't need to believe the Internet, but look closely.
I left in the morning at half past six and at 9.30 was already beyond Karachayevsk. The weather didn't bode well. clouds covered the mountain tops.

I was driving with the hope of catching beetles, and someone was walking around the Kuban hoping to catch trout.

And here is the Indysh Gorge, in which, in addition to the fact that no one has set traps before, it is also famous for an excellent narzan spring with an indescribable taste of narzan.

This is how unassuming this natural wonder looks-the source of narzan.

In previous years, it was necessary to wade to the source, but this year someone's skillful hands made a bridge. So if anyone happens to visit these places, be sure to visit this source. In summer, especially in summer, after drinking a glass of narzan from it, I feel that life is beautiful.

Forest on the mountainside, where unknown carabuses run.

After setting traps on Indysh, I moved to Daut. The foliage on the trees is just beginning to bloom. This is how fantastic the clearing of ferns looks, behind which last season there were traps for edita.

I waited for the face of a Mesozoic lizard to appear from behind a fern.

I forgot to mention that while I was climbing the slopes, the sun came out, not the promised rain, and it accompanied me for the rest of the trip.

The water in Dauta is much more transparent than the Kuban.

After leaving Dauta, I decided to drive further in the direction of Uchkulan, to see places for future trips, but the landscape of the snow-capped peaks of Uzunkol made me stop.

And finally, a mosque in Karachayevsk.

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11.05.2011 16:35, KDG

I should also report back...
During the holidays, he made a small race through all sorts of places in the Ciscaucasia and the Rostov region. Spring was noticeably late everywhere, especially in the foothills. Of course, this also affected the quality of fees. Many beetles that should have collected well were absent altogether or were present in "trace" amounts. In addition, it was often frankly cold and rainy.
According to the barbels, it turned out like this:
Dorcadion carinatum, Dorcadion holosericeum, D.equestre, D. pusillum tanaiticum, D. sareptanum euxinum (=kubanicum), D.cinerarium, Phytoecia nigricornis, Ph. scutellata, Ph. hirsutula, Rhagium fasciculatum, Oxymirus mirabilis, Brachyta caucasica kubanica, Hybometopia starcki, Pyrrhidium sanguineum, Parmena pontocircassica, Pogonocherus hispidulus, Phymatodes pusillus, Saperda scalaris, Mesosa nebulosa. Among other animals, there were decent antribids, grinders, bark beetles, a few nutcrackers, Aesalus ulanovskii.

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15.05.2011 20:20, sergey nyu

Good evening, everyone.
A short report on a trip on 14.05. 11 to the vicinity of Podkumok village (near Kislovodsk) and Pyatigorsk, to check previously installed traps, and 15.05. to the vicinity of Stavropol for the same purpose.
So far, there is nothing to be particularly happy about. Despite the good weather on the days of departure, it rained all the previous weeks, which affected the results.
Under the village of Podkumok, the traps included the Carabus (Tomocarabus) convexus Fabricius, and Carabus cumanus, the ubiquitous dead eaters.
On Mashuka near Pyatigorsk, and even worse - ONE exaratus, with its widespread distribution, and three gravediggers Germanicus.
Near Stavropol, blaps joined the exaratus.
In general, it is not dense yet. Let's hope for warm weather, which is finally forecast to come to us next week.
So:
The forest on Podkumka turned green.

St. George's Convent near Yessentuki

Results of checking traps.
Mashuk

Podkumok

Surroundings of Stavropol.

By the way, on Mashuka flew Anthocharis cardamines, Euchloe ausonia, near Stavropol also Anthocharis cardamines and podaliria, there were still whiteflies, but, unfortunately,I still do not understand them well.

This post was edited by sergey nyu - 05/15/2011 22: 05

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22.05.2011 16:38, sergey nyu

Brief report on the trip on 21.05. in the KCR to the Uzhum ridge in the area of the Zelenchuk Observatory.
In the morning, the weather did not bode well, but with the approach to Arkhyz, it changed for the better and the sun shone brightly at the entrance to Zelenchukskaya station and there was not a cloud in the sky. After crossing the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River, overcoming three posts and a serpentine, we got to the territory of the observatory, after which we went up on the Niva to the very top of the ridge.
While the first series of traps was being set up, the weather gradually turned sour, and the sky became overcast, which at this height looked like fog, from which rain began to fall.
But let's start over:
Dolmen on the opposite bank of Bolshoy Zelenchuk.

During the ascent to the observatory, streams were constantly encountered, in one of which water was collected to prepare the mixture in traps.

Views of the surrounding area from the pass of the Uzhum ridge.

Top view of the observatory

And to the Bolshoy Zelenchuk Valley

While the traps were being set, clouds began to cover the top of Pastukhov Mountain

In a fruitless search for mice, which does not interfere with the rain.

My assistant on this trip, a fan of tourism.

After starting the descent from the ridge, we set traps in the birch forest, where we were covered by a specific rain, which, with weakening and strengthening, accompanied us to the end of the trip, which did not prevent us from setting several more series of traps.

Being at the top of the ridge, I did a little lifting of weights in the form of stones. Catch photo

On the way back I took pictures of the hills behind the village of Khabez

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28.05.2011 21:32, sergey nyu

Today I visited the valley of the Marukha River in the KCR, having passed the village of the same name, left the river on the left side and, as it turned out later, went up the old road as far as I could up the mountain. Later, it turned out from a conversation with local shepherds that it was possible to climb this road even higher, up to the Zelenchuk Observatory and call on it from the Marukha Gorge, but this was not part of my plans for today, and in general it was taken into account.
The weather turned out to be great, not a cloud in the sky, the temperature is from 16 at the top to 20 in the area of the village.
The road, though old, is better than the new one in other gorges.

May the nerds forgive me, but I think it's "hare cabbage".

Having set the first series of traps at the top point, I began to go down, simultaneously setting the next series in the places I liked.
There are not enough butterflies in the mountains yet, I flew a few last year's day peacock eyes, a couple of male lemongrass, caught a couple of female Anthocharis cardamines and a thick-headed bird.
Mountain views from the Maruja River Valley.

In the village of Marukha, lilacs have just bloomed, usually at this time they are already fading.
Several carpenter bees were circling over the flowers, but I couldn't take a picture on the lilac tree, but I managed to take a picture on the pole.

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05.06.2011 12:18, sergey nyu

Yesterday (04.06) I went to the Gumbashi Pass, beyond the Upper Mara in the KCR, where I met with Sergey Dementiev and Evgeny, who arrived there the day before the meeting and already managed to look around and catch something.
The weather was not pleasant, it was raining, the air temperature was about 13 degrees Celsius, in general, the weather is typical for June in the mountains.
While I set up the traps, the guys studied the scree higher up.
Near the road I saw green granulatus, higher up-black cumanus.
Ordinary (bronze) cumanuses, black geotrups and dead-eaters were running around on the ground.
Having wandered along the slopes, met a couple of vipers, unfortunately did not remember the name of the species, I hope that on arrival S. Dementiev will put up a certificate about the trip, as well as some coppers under the stones, went down to the tour area. complex "Mara", where in the meadows under cow and horse "piles", we made a profit of geotrups, photo presented below.
The report turned out to be short, because the guys decided to move to the area of Zheleznovodsk, so we quickly gathered and left. On the way, we checked traps in the area of Podkumok village.
The result was also not happy. Before our arrival, it was constantly raining.
Of the expected ones, only one specimen of Sphodristocarabus adamsi was found, the rest were ubiquitous exaratus and cumanus.
Views from the Gumbashi Pass.

And the result of the trip, the top row is the neighborhood of Podkumok village.

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08.06.2011 23:06, Victor Gazanchidis

I returned from a trip to Armenia.He visited Dilijan, Ijevan, Lori, Syunik district, Vayk, Goris, Sisian district, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Caught not everywhere and not always, but only if possible. The day is poor, because it is late spring and rains. On the Selim pass, I was hit by hail the size of grapes, even dents were left on the hood of the car. At night, 3 times I fished with a generator in the mountains in different parts of the country. Here is a photo of some mattresses, here are some beetles and small things. Big day and brazhnikov was carried in bags, so there is no way to take a picture. From the hawk moth came sea buckthorn, ruled and Komarova.

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15.06.2011 21:26, sergey nyu

With a slight delay, the report
left for the Jemagat Gorge, Teberda Nature Reserve, KCR on weekends from 11 to 13.06.11.
The weather was sunny this morning. the temperature is about 16 degrees Celsius. There are no butterflies in the gorge yet, the main season starts in mid-July.
I set up two sets of traps. Apart from the fly, nothing flying could be photographed. On the way back, on the pastures of Teberda and Upper Teberda, I dug up lunar copra and came across one geotrup. The rain began to fall, which was getting worse and the trip that day had to be curtailed. On the way back from Cherkessk to Kochubeyevka, there was a downpour, which the car wipers could not cope with. I had to go no faster than 70 km / h.
The mountains are still covered in snow.

The main estate of the Teberda Nature Reserve, where you can get a pass to the Jemagat Gorge for a nominal fee.

Views of the gorge.

The only fly that could be photographed

The next day I checked the traps placed on the Wolf Gate in the vicinity of Sengileevsky Lake near Stavropol, and there I expected a big surprise. In addition to perrini, convexus and blaps caught Taphoxenus (Taphoxenus) gigas, while, however, one.

Along the way, I picked up Hungarian bronzes on the inflorescences.
On the 13th, I left for Pyatigorsk, taking Sergey Dementiev from Zheleznovodsk to check the traps on Mashuka. I introduced him to Valentin Tikhonov, and we all went out together for a checkup. A complete bummer. Except for exaratus, convexus and cumanus-nothing. The dream of catching protserusov vanished like smoke.
Fresh Coenonympha arcania and Coenonympha pamphilus flew on the slopes.
While checking the traps, we got caught in the rain, which, as luck would have it, rinsed us while checking the traps and ended with the end of the check.

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18.06.2011 21:53, sergey nyu

Today I checked traps in Adygea at the confluence of Belaya and Kisha and in the vicinity of the Dakhovskaya station.
A short photo report on the results.
When checking, Microplectes convallium and Archiplectes miroshnikovi came across alive
If the first one "agreed" to pose in natural conditions, then the second one turned out to be fast and it was difficult to photograph it with my technique.
Microplectes convallium

Archiplectes miroshnikovi

The water in Belaya subsided, brightened, and fishermen poured out onto the shore in the hope of catching trout.

Results of checking traps. The first two rows on top (separated by threads) - catch in the vicinity of Sengileevsky Lake, Stavropol Territory. Below - the surroundings of the Dakhovskaya metro station.